In a result widely anticipated by industry observers, Paul Thomas Anderson took home the Directors Guild of America’s (DGA) top prize on Saturday night for his political thriller, “One Battle After Another.” The win, announced at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, marks a significant moment in Anderson’s career and positions the film as a frontrunner heading into the Academy Awards next month.
This represents Anderson’s first DGA Award after previous nominations for “There Will Be Blood” in 2008 and “Licorice Pizza” in 2022. The DGA Award has a strong track record of predicting the eventual Oscar winner for Best Director, with twenty of the last twenty-three recipients going on to claim the Academy Award.
Accepting the award from last year’s winner, Sean Baker, Anderson expressed humility, and gratitude. He referenced Steven Spielberg, who was in attendance, drawing a parallel to the feeling of being called to something larger than oneself, likening the experience to the narrative of Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” “It’s that feeling that we all love making s— and we need to do it,” Anderson said, a sentiment that resonated with the room.
The ceremony wasn’t solely a celebration of Anderson’s achievement. Anderson used his speech to pay tribute to Adam Somner, his longtime first assistant director, who passed away in November 2024. “May you be blessed with the relationship I had with him,” Anderson shared, urging those in the audience to cherish their own close collaborators. “And if you have one already, hold them close and remind them that you love them.”
The DGA Awards also served as a platform for newly-elected DGA president Christopher Nolan to address the state of the industry. Nolan acknowledged the challenges facing directors, noting a 40% decline in DGA member employment in 2024, followed by a further decrease in 2025. He emphasized the importance of storytelling and innovation in a changing entertainment landscape, stating, “We are the best at what we do… We are the storytellers. We are the people who have to innovate.”
The evening saw recognition across various categories, highlighting directorial achievements in television, documentaries, commercials, and more. Ryan Coogler, nominated for “Sinners,” expressed his appreciation for the DGA’s healthcare benefits, a crucial resource for its members. Guillermo del Toro, nominated for his take on “Frankenstein,” offered a lighthearted tribute to President Nolan, joking about the pleasure of saying “President Nolan.” Chloé Zhao, representing “Hamnet,” spoke of the creative fire and the importance of community in filmmaking.
The presence of A-list actors further underscored the significance of the event. Leonardo DiCaprio introduced Anderson, Jacob Elordi championed Del Toro, and Timothée Chalamet playfully described Josh Safdie, director of “Marty Supreme,” as an “insurgent filmmaker.”
With the DGA Award now secured, Anderson’s path to an Oscar win appears increasingly clear. He has been nominated three times previously for the Academy’s directing honor – for “There Will Be Blood,” “Phantom Thread,” and “Licorice Pizza” – but has yet to take home the award. Academy voting begins on , with the Oscars ceremony scheduled for .
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film
Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Ryan Coogler, “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Guillermo del Toro, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)
Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme” (A24)
Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)
Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film
Charlie Polinger, “The Plague” (Independent Film Company)
Hasan Hadi, “The President’s Cake” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Harry Lighton, “Pillion” (A24)
Alex Russell, “Lurker” (Mubi)
Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby” (A24)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
Mstyslav Chernov, “2000 Meters to Andriivka” (PBS)
Geeta Gandbhir, “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, “Cutting Through Rocks” (Assembly Releasing)
Elizabeth Lo, “Mistress Dispeller” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus, “Cover-Up” (Netflix)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
Amanda Marsalis, “The Pitt,” “6:00 P.M.” (HBO Max)
Liza Johnson, “The Diplomat,” “Amagansett” (Netflix)
Janus Metz, “Andor,” “Who Are You?” (Disney+)
Ben Stiller, “Severance,” “Cold Harbor” (Apple TV+)
John Wells, “The Pitt,” “7:00 A.M.” (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, “The Studio,” “The Oner” (Apple TV+)
Lucia Aniello, “Hacks,” “A Slippery Slope” (HBO Max)
Janicza Bravo, “The Bear,” “Worms” (FX on Hulu)
Christopher Storer, “The Bear,” “Bears” (FX on Hulu)
Mike White, “The White Lotus,” “Denials” (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Limited and Anthology Series
Shannon Murphy, “Dying for Sex,” “It’s Not That Serious” (FX on Hulu)
Jason Bateman, “Black Rabbit,” “The Black Rabbits” (Netflix)
Antonio Campos, “The Beast in Me,” “Sick Puppy” (Netflix)
Lesli Linka Glatter, “Zero Day,” “Episode 6” (Netflix)
Ally Pankiw, “Black Mirror,” “Common People” (Netflix)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television
Stephen Chbosky, “Nonnas” (Netflix)
Jesse Armstrong, “Mountainhead” (HBO Max)
Scott Derrickson, “The Gorge” (Apple TV+)
Michael Morris, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” (Peacock)
Kyle Newacheck, “Happy Gilmore 2” (Netflix)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety
Liz Patrick, “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” (NBC)
Yvonne De Mare, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Julia Roberts; Sam Smith” (CBS)
Andy Fisher, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Stephen Colbert; Kumail Nanjiani; Reneé Rapp” (ABC)
Beth McCarthy-Miller, “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” (Peacock)
Paul Pennolino, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Public Media” (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Sports
Matthew Gangl, 2025 World Series – Game 7 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays (Fox Sports)
Steve Milton, 2025 Masters Tournament – Augusta National Golf Club (CBS Sports)
Rich Russo, Super Bowl LIX – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Fox Sports)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality / Quiz & Game
Mike Sweeney, “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” “Austria” (HBO Max)
Lucinda M. Margolis, “Jeopardy!,” “Ep. 9341” (Syndicated)
Adam Sandler, “The Price Is Right,” “10,000th Episode” (CBS)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Series / News
Rebecca Miller, “Mr. Scorsese,” “All This Filming Isn’t Healthy” (Apple TV+)
Marshall Curry, “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” “Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room” (Peacock)
Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” “Part Two” (HBO Max)
Alexandra Stapleton, “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” “Official Girl” (Netflix)
Matt Wolf, “Pee-Wee as Himself,” “Part 1” (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
Kim Gehrig (Somesuch), “You Can’t Win. So Win.” – Nike | Wieden+Kennedy
Miles Jay (Smuggler)
Spike Jonze (MJZ)
Andreas Nilsson (Biscuit Filmworks)
Steve Rogers (Biscuit Filmworks)
